UK Against Fluoridation

Monday, March 31, 2008

Lobbyists to hold Geelong fluoride protest Michaela Farrington31Mar08 GEELONG's anti-fluoride lobby is organising a lunch-time protest march along Moorabool St next month. Organiser Peter Linaker urged people to join him in the march on April 17 to protest against the fluoridation of Geelong's water supply.Victoria's chief health officer Dr John Carnie last week gave the green light to the fluoridation of Geelong's water supply.Announcing his decision, Dr Carnie said the dental health benefits for young people from drinking fluoridated water were proven.He added that children in Geelong needed the same benefits as those in the rest of the state. ``In particular, children who live in fluoridated areas of Victoria experience considerably less decay than those in non-fluoridated areas,'' he said.Mr Linaker said fluoridation was mass medication and was not necessary. He said the community would reject fluoridation if given a vote.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Bush still 'dangerous,' journalist Hersh tells Regina audienceThursday, March 27, 2008 1:37 PM War-battered Iraq is now a "corpse" of a country and the United States isn't feeling so well itself, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh said in Regina Wednesday.The icon of American journalism provided a harsh assessment of his country's war in Iraq during a visit to the University of Regina.Seymour Hersh won the Pulitzer Prize in 1970 for his reporting on Vietnam. (John Weidlich/CBC) Hersh is known for decades of ground-breaking coverage from the war in Vietnam to the current conflict in Iraq. In 1969, he was the first to report on the massacre of Vietnamese civilians in the village of My Lai.Hersh said he came to conclude that the Vietnam War was a horrible misadventure and he has a similarly harsh assessment of the current war Iraq started with a U.S.-led invasion ostensibly in search of weapons of mass destruction."Iraq right now is a corpse. It's just a dead body," he told reporters in Regina.In a series of articles for the New Yorker, Hersh exposed the treatment of Iraqi prisoners held by U.S. forces in Baghdad's now-infamous Abu Ghraib prison.Hersh said the current U.S. military commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, is "in a terrible position of having to basically pimp for a war that's not winnable. But he will. He'll come to congress and say how wonderful it is."In a later speech to about 300 people at the university, Hersh also had caustic words for U.S. President George W. Bush's administration, which he suggested was "the single worst government we've ever had."He discounted the notion that Bush is a lame-duck president who won't involve the U.S. in any more adventures in the Middle East. "I think he's going to be very dangerous," he said.Despite the grim content of much of his speech, Hersh sprinkled his talk with some humorous observations drawn from his decades writing for publications like the New York Times and the New Yorker Magazine.For example, Hersh said the contrast in personalities between the two reporters who broke the Watergate story — the "wild" Carl Bernstein and the more reserved Bob Woodward — was something to see."When you finish lunch with Bob Woodward, you do a Snoopy dance," he said.When someone in the audience asked what has changed in the United States from the early decades of the 20th century when it had an isolationist foreign policy, he quipped: "Fluoridation?… I don't have the foggiest."More often, he maintained a sober tone as he lamented over the fate of his country."What we have in America is not democracy and I don't know how to fix it," he said.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Fluouride in water does more harm than good28 March 2008South Staffs Water put fluoride into our supply, not at our request, but at the request of the local health authority - how does everyone feel about that?Its only reason for being used is to protect the nation's teeth.How swallowing fluoride can protect your teeth I do not know - it may flow over your teeth for a brief moment, but when in your bloodstream, does nothing for decay of your teeth. It, in fact, does harm to your body.We read in the newspapers that more and more men are becoming infertile, children have behavioral habits at school and are now a great concern, cancers we never had we now have.Fluoride is a waste by-product of the fertilizer and aluminum industry and it’s also a part two poison under the UK Poisons Act 1972, its basic ingredients is PROZAC (FLUoxetene Hydrochloride) and Sarin nerve gas (Isopropyl-Methyl-Phosphoryl FLUoride).In World War II, the Soviets openly admitted to 'using fluoride in the water supplies in their concentration camps to make the prisoners stupid, docile, and subservient.'The first occurrence of fluoridated drinking water was found in Germany’s Nazi prison camps. The Gestapo had little concern about fluoride’s supposed effect on children’s teeth, their reason for mass-medicating water with sodium fluoride was to sterilize humans and force the people in their concentration camps into calm submission.Ninety-seven per cent of Western Europe has rejected fluoridated water due to the known health risks, however here in Bromsgrove, we are being forced to drink it and Alan Johnson MP, Secretary of State for Health, is trying to fast-track the fluoridation of the entire country’s water supply.I am asking people to reject this threat to our very future of early dementure.Stan FrancisRomsley

Erie is conducting a mail-in vote that ends Tuesday for three at-large trustee seats and a mayor's seat.Three incumbents -- Cheryl Hauger, Colin Towner and Tom Van Lone -- are running for trustee, as well as non-incumbents Lee Elizer and Paul Ogg. Mayor Andrew Moore is running for re-election unopposed.question: FlouridationWhat the question asks : Shall the Town of Erie be directed to add fluoride to the water the Town of Erie treats and distributes through the Erie water distribution system, in a form and manner to be determined by the Director of the Public Works Department.What it means : Voters are being asked if they want fluoride added to their drinking water.What supporters say: With just about every other municipality in the metro area having fluoridated water, it's high time Erie got on board. Most major public health agencies in the United States -- the American Dental Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General -- back fluoridation as one of the most important public health achievements of the past century.Proponents say fluoridation is one of the most cost-effective ways to combat tooth decay and is particularly critical for lower income populations that may not have access to expensive dental care.They say opponents of the practice have grossly exaggerated the ill effects of fluoridation and base their arguments on emotion rather than science.What opponents say: Fluoridation of water yields little dental benefit, and worse, may result in a litany of health problems, including bone fracture, bone cancer, joint pain, reduced thyroid activity and IQ deficits.Opponents point out that many countries in western Europe have abandoned efforts to fluoridate drinking water after recognizing the potential health dangers of the compound. Yet, they claim, tooth decay is no worse in those countries than it is in the widely fluoridated United States.Fluoride is available from many other sources, like toothpaste, and need not be dumped into municipal water systems to affect everyone indiscriminately, whether they want to ingest the substance or not.

Palestine's water to have fluoride starting April 15By BETH FOLEYThe Palestine HeraldPALESTINE — Starting April 15, Palestine’s drinking water will have an extra additive — fluoride.Notices are being sent with city water bills alerting residents that the fluoridation will begin mid-April, according to city utilities director Robert Sedgwick. Notices also are being sent to area medical and dental offices, Palestine Regional Medical Center and offices dealing with renal care.The amount of fluoride to be added to the city’s water system is 0.8 milligrams per liter, he said.“(Physicians) need to know it’s being added so they can watch for it and remove it for renal care,” Sedgwick said.Other than the notification, the system is ready to go, he said. The storage tank and necessary equipment are in place and ready for use, as is the flouride, and water department workers have been trained in handling the chemical, hydrofluosilicic acid. The city received some of the necessary equipment from the Texas Department of Health, along with a grant which covered most of the cost of the 5,400-gallon storage tank.“A lot of the equipment was given to us by the health department,” Sedgwick said. “We also received a $10,000 grant. That picked up most of the cost of the ($17,000) tank.”The city council approved adding fluoride to the city’s drinking water in February 2007, but the start date was delayed by a worldwide shortage of hydrofluosilicic acid, which also is used in the computer industry, he said, noting that the city had to change distributors to obtain the chemical.“We have it,” Sedgwick said. “We’re just waiting, to get the word out.”

Southampton Echo and Letter in Lymington Times

FluorideThe prime minister insisted that adding fluoride to tap-water supplies would be a good thing for British teeth.He said that he had "seen the benefits of fluoridation" and added that last month the health secretary, Alan Johnson, had pledged an extra £14m for authorities who wanted to add the chemical to water supplies.But Brown came under fire from Sir Paul Beresford (Con, Mole Valley), a dentist, over the slow progress in getting fluoride, which helps prevent tooth decay, into water supplies.

Blood vow on \'fast\' fluoridePeter FaragoThe Geelong region will drink fluoride before the end of June next year after State Government fast-tracked plans to fluoridate the water supply.But fluoridation opponents have threatened “blood will flow in the streets” in protests against the plan.State chief health officer Dr John Carnie announced on Wednesday that the secretary of the Department of Human Services had requested Barwon Water introduce fluoride in the 2008/2009 financial year.A spokesperson said DHS would pay for two plants to fluoridate the region at a cost of around $500,000 each.Barwon Water chairman Roger Lowrey said investigations on building the plants would begin “immediately”.The timing of the project could help eliminate fluoride as an election issue for the Government. The next election is due on November 27, 2010, almost 18 months after fluoride will begin flowing through the region.Fluoride was not expected in Geelong’s water until after a pipe-line started pumping fluoridated water from Melbourne in 2011.Dr Carnie said fluoride’s dental health benefits were proven.“Water fluoridation is safe and effective and helps protect everybody’s teeth against decay regardless of age, gender, income and education levels.”Water Minister Tim Holding said the Government had consulted the community “extensively”.“Ultimately the Government has to make a judgement in the interest of the entire community.”But opponents said the announcement broke a pre-2006 election promise that the Government would give residents a vote on fluoridation.Barwon Association for Freedom from Fluoridation spokes-man David McRae said Health Minister Daniel Andrews had written that “it is not our intention to conduct a public vote” prior to fluoridation “at this time”.Mr McRae said the announcement was a “betrayal”.“There will be blood on the streets, blood on the pipeline,” he said.Mr McRae said protesters intended to blockade construction of the plants and the Melbourne-Geelong pipeline.

Ryan wants fluoride public consultationPosted 5 hours 23 minutes ago The leader of the Victorian Nationals, Peter Ryan, says the public should be consulted before fluoride is introduced to water supplies in country towns.The Department of Human Services wants Ballarat's water supply fluoridated to improve dental health.Some central Victorian towns, such as Castlemaine and Maryborough, are yet to have fluoride added to their water.Mr Ryan supports fluoridation, but says some in the community are sceptical and they should be consulted."If you're going to have these things happen then it's best to take people with you and the best way to do that is to have a consultative process which is transparent and gives everybody the opportunity to have their say, now that's not to say that the Government needs to wait on this forever," he said.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Today Tonight - Fluoride 25-3-2008

EDITORIAL: Little argument against fluoride27Mar08IT won't appease the small, vocal anti-fluoride lobby but the State Government's decision to push ahead with fluoridating Geelong's water is a long-overdue addition to the region's public health quantum. And even while concerns about medicating water supplies might be understandable, the benefits to be achieved from fluoride far outweigh the minuscule suggestion _ let alone evidence _ of damage that might be wrought on the community.As the Victoria's Chief health officer, Dr John Carnie, states: ``Children who live in fluoridated areas of Victoria experience considerably less decay than those in non-fluoridated areas.'' His argument is backed by a multitude of local agencies, among them: Barwon Health, the Australian Medical Association's Geelong and district subdivision, Barwon Primary Care Forum, Bellarine Community Health, Bethany Community Support, the Committee for Geelong, Corio Norlane Neighbourhood Renewal, Deakin University's Faculty of Health Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences, the General Practitioners Association of Geelong and Glastonbury Child and Family Services.Others in favour of fluoride include the Australian and National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Dental Association, the AMA, Melbourne University's School of Dental Science, the Royal Children's Hospital Department of Dentistry, Kidney Health Australia, the Public Health Association of Australia, the Cancer Council of Victoria, Osteoporosis Australia, Arthritis Australia ... the list goes on.With dental waiting lists growing, with the Federal Government dumping Medicare dental treatment rebates for many people, with dental treatment costs expensive and often prohibitive, the pro-fluoride case may well seem a political imperative. But the bottom line seems a lot less conspiratorial; fluoride helps protect teeth _ as a lengthy list of health professionals from the family dentist to the World Health Organisation maintain.The anti-fluoride lobby has cruelled its own arguments with repeated misleading claims about US dental profession warnings of fluoridated water as toxic to babies _ notably against the American Dental Association _ when no such claims were made. Advertisements the lobby has resorted to running soliciting people with fluoride-related complaints to come forward have further undermined its arguments. As has the lack of any convincing scientific evidence that fluoride in prescribed concentration causes any damage to people of any age.

Fluoride lobby witch huntJeff Whalley27Mar08 THE BRUMBY Government's water minister has compared the anti-fluoride lobby to medieval witch hunters.Bristling at the continued resistance to the move to introduce fluoride to Geelong water, the minister Tim Holding lashed out yesterday.``Every state and territory and the Commonwealth supports it. The Australian Dental Association supports putting fluoride in water. The Australian Medical Association supports it. The World Health Organisation supports it. The local branch of the AMA supports it. Every study we have had supports it,'' Mr Holding said.He said the anti-fluoride lobby was resistant to something which would improve dental health for children between seven and 12 years of age.``We used to burn witches as well, but we don't do that anymore either,'' he said.``Other parts of Victoria have the dental health benefits, why should Geelong be denied?''His comments came as the Victorian Department of Human Services announced that drinking water in Geelong would be fluoridated by next year.Despite complaints from anti-fluoride groups, Mr Holding said there had been adequate consultation.``This is not about steamrolling. We've had four months of public consultations. We've had a community hotline. We've had information in the newspapers,'' Mr Holding said.``We understand some people are opposed to this, it is their right to express opposition to it. But ultimately as a government we make a decision based on what is the best interest of the entire community for this region and that is what we'll do.''

Ashland group ready to contest fluorideBy David Riley/Daily News staffPosted Mar 27, 2008 @ 12:07 AMASHLAND — A group of residents is banding together to urge the Board of Health not to add fluoride to the town's water and may press for a ballot referendum if officials vote to act otherwise.About a dozen people were involved in a group calling itself Ashland for Pure Water before a public forum on fluoridation last week, and roughly a dozen more signed up after that discussion, said David Whitty, an organizer.The group's focus is to provide the Board of Health with studies and other evidence raising questions about the effectiveness and potential health risks of adding fluoride to drinking water, Whitty said."I do believe that if they examine the evidence fairly, they will see the risks of fluoridation outweigh the benefit," Whitty said yesterday.The Board of Health has made no decision yet on fluoride and will talk about how to proceed at its next meeting, Chairman Malcolm Smart said. The board may hold another public forum on the topic before deciding, he said.Smart stressed that he feels the board should stay neutral in the debate and hear out the evidence."We just wanted to present the information - what the possibilities could be," Smart said of last week's session, where two panels argued the pros and cons of fluoridation.Whitty said the forum showed the Board of Health wants to hear from both sides.If the board chooses to add fluoride to the town's water, state law allows residents to call for a ballot question on the measure if they can gather signatures from at least 10 percent of registered voters.Whitty said Ashland for Pure Water is aware of that provision, "but we hope that it won't come to that."The group is, however, calling on Board of Health candidates in the May 20 election to state a position on fluoridation. So far Smart and a challenger, Dimitri Karpouzis, have turned in nomination papers to run for a single seat on the board. A third resident, Catherine Rooney, also has taken out papers.Whitty said he believes people can be over-exposed to fluoride when it is added to drinking water, partly because it exists in food and other sources both naturally and as part of some fertilizers and pesticides."You have lots of different sources today than when fluoridation of water began in 1945," Whitty said.He noted that the American Dental Association, which supports fluoridation, also recommends mixing formula for infants with fluoride-free water because developing teeth are susceptible to fluorosis, or defects in the enamel of the teeth. Whitty questioned why residents, particularly low-income people, should have to buy bottled water and learn about this potential risk.He cited a 1998 fluoride study carried out by a Natick committee that issued a 91-page report saying the risks of fluoridation outweigh any benefits.Natick ultimately did add fluoride to its water, and Myron Allukian, former director of oral health for Boston, read a letter at last week's forum from the town's Board of Health chairman praising fluoridation.Allukian said almost every major public health organization in the country supports adding one part fluoride per million parts water as a safe, effective and cheap method of preventing dental decay.Most MetroWest towns have fluoridated water.Whitty, who organized a series of films critical of fluoridation at the Ashland Public Library this year, said his group will meet soon."I would say we're off to a good start and there will be a lot of people in Ashland who are first of all concerned about this. ... A lot of people want information," Whitty said.Smart said he hopes residents will listen to the evidence and decide for themselves what they believe."It's up to individuals to make their choice," he said.(David Riley can be reached at 508-626-3919 or driley@cnc.com.)

Chemicals’ costs rise for MVSDPublished:Thursday, March 27, 2008Rising fuel prices are blamed for increases.STAFF REPORTMINERAL RIDGE — It will cost the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District more money in its 2008-09 fiscal year for water treatment facility chemicals — considerably more.Chief Engineer Thomas Holloway said estimates indicate the increase could be as much as $108,000.“I attribute these increases to higher fuel costs for delivering chemicals along with the costs of producing them,” Holloway said.During the MVSD board meeting Wednesday, Holloway produced a chemical cost-comparison chart, which showed that fluoride costs per ton jumped from $435 to $650 — an increase of more than 49 percent from last year.Carbon showed the second-highest increase per ton with costs rising from $904 to $1,160 — a jump of more than 28 percent.Holloway said he was unable to explain why fluoride costs skyrocketed.“All I can tell you is that we have eight chemical suppliers and seven of them went up,” Holloway said.Holloway emphasized that his financial figures are based on estimates.“This could greatly impact our budget, and we’ll have to determine how much,” the chief engineer said.The board unanimously approved all contracts for the chemicals.

...........France and the economy aside, the strangest line was prompted by the Tory backbencher Sir Paul Beresford, a dentist by profession, who asked a question about fluoridation of drinking water. A jolly good thing, agreed the prime minister, before saying without any obvious irony: "It is a good thing for the teeth of the people of this country." Which, however you read it, just doesn't have that certain je ne sais quoi.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Swedona Water Association Operator receives fluoride awardPublished: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 11:36 AM The Swedona Water Association President and Operator John E. Sedlock has received a certificate of commendation from the Illinois Department of Public Health for maintaining the optimum level of fluoride in Swedona's drinking water throughout 2007.This marks the second consecutive year that John E. Sedlock has received the commendation forq perfect compliance with Illinois fluoridation requirements in Swedona's water.The degree of professionalism and dedication to detail in monitoring and controlling fluoride dosage and maintaining the fluoride metering equipment is the same for a small system like Swedona as for a larger system. Fluoride addition to Swedona's water promotes good oral health and the reduction of tooth decay for those who drink Swedona water.

Does this mean that other less dedicated controllers are failing to meet these standards and injecting fluoride at differing dosages?

THE Upper Lachlan Shire Council has taken the first steps in a process which could see the addition of fluoride to the Crookwell water supply.At its meeting last week the Council adopted a recommendation from the Water and Sewer Manager, Mr. Luke Moloney, that it refer the matter of fluoridation to the Director General of the NSW Department of Health.Councillors at an earlier meeting at Gunning had expressed support for the scheme following a presentation on the benefits of fluoridation by an officer of the Department of Health.Funding of up to 100 per cent is available for the capital cost of dosing facilities, with only the minor additional cost of chemicals in ongoing operations.However, Mr. Moloney said this subsidy was typically only available to supplies serving populations of more than a thousand people because small supply systems usually did not have a permanent operator."Alternative programs are available to smaller communities," he added.Supporting fluoridation, Mr. Moloney said the overwhelming majority of dental practitioners, dental academics and other health professionals in Australia support its addition to public water supplies."The proven protective benefits have been instrumental in the decline of dental decay in Australia over the past fifty years," Mr. Moloney said."Despite the strong evidence of the benefits, the decision to fluoridate water supplies is by no means a small decision for Council to make, and has been met with considerable opposition in a number of communities across Australia."Opposition is typically based on linking fluoridation with other health conditions and disease."The safety and effectiveness of water fluoridation have been frequently re-evaluated and no credible evidence supports an association with any conditions such as cancer, osteoporosis and bone fracture, Alzheimer's disease, allergic reactions and other health conditions."Mr. Moloney said Council could decide to fluoride the supply itself, conduct a public referendum or refer the matter to the NSW Health Department.If the latter, the Department would deal with all complaints and inquiries, and would also be responsible for the community education program required before fluoridation could commence.Mr. Moloney pointed out that as of November 26 last, the majority of the eastern seaboard is fluoridated, with Hastings, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey and Bellingen Local Government areas the most recent additions."The Department is the authority on these matters, and having undertaken extensive research to the effect of fluoridating water supplies is best placed to determine the appropriateness of adopting a fluoride policy."Councillors adopted Mr. Moloney's recommendation that the fluoridation of the Crookwell water supply by referred to the Department, and that the Department be asked to consider alternative fluoride options for Council's village and rural populations.

Optimal Drinking Water Composition for Caries Control in PopulationsM.Bruvo1, K. Ekstrand1, E. Arvin2, H. Spliid3, D. Moe1, S. Kirkeby1, and A. Bardow1,*1 Dental School of Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Lyngby, DenmarkApart from the well-documented effect of fluoride in drinking water on dental caries, little is known about other chemical effects. Since other ions in drinking water may also theoretically influence caries, as well as binding of fluoride in the oral environment, we hypothesized that the effect of drinking water on caries may not be limited to fluoride only. Among 22 standard chemical variables, including 15 ions and trace elements as well as gases, organic compounds, and physical measures, iterative search and testing identified that calcium and fluoride together explained 45% of the variations in the numbers of decayed, filled, and missing tooth surfaces (DMF-S) among 52,057 15-year-old schoolchildren in 249 Danish municipalities. Both ions had reducing effects on DMF-S independently of each other, and could be used in combination for the design of optimal drinking water for caries control in populations.KEY WORDS: drinking water • fluoride • calcium • dentalTechnical and you have to subscribe but looks interesting.

NEWS RELEASE From the office of South-East England’s Green MEP Caroline Lucas25 March 2008GREEN MEP SENDS CLEAR SIGNAL TO SOUTHAMPTON HEALTH CHIEFS OVER FLUORIDE INDRINKING WATERGreen Euro-MP Dr Caroline Lucas door stopped health staff at the StrategicHealth Authority in Southampton demanding that plans to put fluoride indrinking water be dropped.In an open letter to health chiefs, Dr Lucas said:“I am writing for two reasons. Firstly, to express my concern at theproposal currently being considered to fluoridate the drinking water inSouthampton, and possibly elsewhere in Hampshire.“And secondly, to ask what levels of exposure are there in the currentSouthampton population? If this is not known, what steps are being taken tofind out?“Water fluoridation has simply not been proven to be effective for teeth,particularly when the bad effects of dental fluorosis are taken intoaccount.“Furthermore, many studies have indicated links between water fluoridationand serious ill health effects, including thyroid problems, skeletalfluorosis, bone cancers and mental problems.“Finally, putting fluoride in our water amounts to mass medication of thepopulation. This directly contravenes the Convention on Human Rights andBiomedicine, and is contrary to medical ethics. We are seeking a legalopinion on its further contravention of the Medicines Directive.”Dr Lucas continued: “The concern over current levels of exposure in thepopulation is a serious one, as it is very important to know the total dosethat people will be receiving if water fluoridation were to be administered.The World Health Organisation advises that Public Health Administratorsshould be aware of this before introducing any additional fluorideprogramme.”Caroline Lucas is now awaiting a response to her concerns.CONTACTSMelissa Freeman, Media Officer to Caroline Lucas MEP - 020 7407 9935 / 07950382149John Spottiswoode, South West Hants Green Party - 023 80 789230 / 07796056763Matthew Myatt, South West Hants Green Party - 07716 700040NOTE TO EDITORSIn 2007 Caroline Lucas was voted Politician of the Year in the Observernewspaper’s Ethical Awards. She is the Green Party MEP representing theSouth-East of England and was elected in 1999. She sits on the EuropeanParliament’s Trade, Environment and Climate Change Committees, as well asbeing Vice President of the Parliament’s Animal Welfare Intergroup. Herwork – both within the Parliament and in her constituency – includes peaceand human rights, international trade and development, transport andplanning, health issues and animal welfare. www.carolinelucasmep.org.ukMelissa FreemanMedia Officer to Caroline Lucas MEPSuite 58The Hop Exchange24 Southwark StreetLondon SE1 1TYOffice: 020 7407 9935Mobile: 07950 382149Email: carolinepress@greenmeps.org.uk

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

City councillor Ivan WhiteOpen debate into adding fluoride to city’s waterBy Matt SmithRead Comments (21)CITY councillors are backing a detailed, open and meaningful consultation on proposals to add fluoride to Southampton's water supplies.Health chiefs are eager to press ahead with the move which they say will reduce tooth decay, particularly among children in poorer neighbourhoods.Surveys show dental health among the city's under-fives is far worse than the national average.Southampton City Primary Care Trust wants the South Central strategic health authority (SHA) to give the go-ahead for utility companies to add fluoride to the city's water supplies.City councillor Ivan White, Tory opposition spokesman for health, won backing from fellow councillors across the political divide to call on the SHA to carry out "open, widespread, meaningful and detailed consultations" with the council and Southampton residents before considering any decision.Councillor Jeremy Moulton, Tory parliamentary candidate for Southampton Test, pictured, has also written to SHA chief executive Jim Easton on the issue.advertisementCllr Moulton said: "This is a very important and controversial decision and a number of worried Southampton residents have contacted me recently."It is vital that local people are consulted and that all sides of the argument are heard."Health problems South West Hampshire Green Party and pressure group Hampshire Against Fluoridation are opposing the move.They claim fluoridated water can cause health problems, including bone cancer, mental and discoloration of teeth.The SHA is carrying out a feasibility study and is due to report back by the summer. It will then decide whether to go head with a 12-week public consultation.

Fluoride debate fuels Hastings City Council meeting(3/24/2008) By Jeniffer Berry - Hastings City Council said it supports legislation that would put fluoride in the cities water system. The decision came after people on both sides of the debate stress their concerns.Those in favor of putting fluoride in water say it is an issue of health. But not everyone is convinced. Others say it is not needed and will actually do more harm than good.People on both sides packed city council chambers in Hastings.About a dozen dentists, doctors and pharmacists were on hand speaking in favor of fluoridation.They say it reduces tooth decay dramatically and is a big benefit for low income and elderly people who cannot always get to the dentist.They call it one of the biggest public health achievements of the 20th century."Fluoridation of the Hastings water will reduce the cost of dental treatment, lost time from school, lost time from work. It is estimated 51 million hours from school," said Hastings Orthodontist Dr. John Pershing.Some people did speak out Monday night against adding fluoride saying it is not the city's responsibility. They are worried it could have a negative effect."And it ignores the fact that some people are more vulnerable to fluoride's toxic effects. Some people may suffer while others may benefit," said Bob Samuelson.Under the bill in the legislature cities with more than 1,000 people would have to put fluoride in their drinking water.But there is an option to opt out.If the bill passes and cities do not want to add fluoride they would have to put it up for a public vote.And they would have to do so by the end of this year.City Council Monday night approved a resolution supporting this legislation.No word on when a state decision will come down.Mayor Matt Rossen says if the bill is not passed by lawmakers it still could move forward in Hastings.But there would be more discussion before making any decision on that.

FLUORIDE DEBATE and AWESOME FORUM from IPOWER

Monday, March 24, 2008

WATERRemove fluorideIf we want to remove drugs from our municipal drinking water, let us start with the obvious and one that should be a no-brainer: Fluoride. Fluoride's primary benefits are topical, not systemic, so there is no need to swallow it. In fact, we are told if we swallow toothpaste, a poison center should be contacted immediately. So why is it safe to drink fluoridated water but not safe to swallow toothpaste? It is the same ingredient. A growing body of evidence indicates that water fluoridation is ineffective and unnecessary. The fluoride added to municipal water is an unprocessed toxic industrial waste product of the phosphate fertilizer industry. Before it was put in our water supplies, it was used as rat poison. The American Dental Association has recommended that parents use fluoride-free bottled water to mix baby formula. If fluoridated water is not safe for babies, why is it safe for my 2-year-old?Fluoridation's role in the decline of tooth decay is in serious doubt, and multiple studies have shown ingested fluoride poses risks to the brain, thyroid gland, bones and bone cancer, kidney patients. The list goes on. Not one study has been conducted proving fluoride consumption is safe. Yet it is forced upon many of us, and how much we ingest cannot be monitored or controlled. Fluoride has been shown to be mutagenic, cause chromosome damage and interfere with the enzymes involved with DNA repair in a variety of cell and tissue studies. Why is it still added to our water? This is one drug we can get out of our water quite easily, and municipalities (taxpayers) will save money at the same time. For more information, go to flouridealert.orgMary PedersenSussex

Fluoride foes in Erie get activeGroup forms in advance of April 1 electionMonday, March 24, 2008 ERIE -- With the town's spring election just over a week away, a newly formed group opposed to putting fluoride in Erie's drinking water is planning a mass-mail campaign.The Committee for Clean Water in Erie, formed in the past couple of weeks, is planning to mail out literature addressing the dangers of fluoridated water.Susan Augustoni, a three-year resident of Erie and a member of the nascent group, said it's not only a health issue but a matter of preserving choice for the town's 16,000 residents."Please respect your neighbors' right to choose," she said. "There are enough unknowns -- and as long as there are other ways to get fluoride from other sources, why put it in the water for everyone to consume whether they want it or not?"Fluoridation opponents argue that ingesting fluoride yields little dental benefit and may result in a litany of health problems, including bone fracture, bone cancer, joint pain, reduced thyroid activity and IQ deficits.Major public health agencies in the United States have declared fluoridation to be an effective tool against tooth decay and one of the most important public health policies of the last century.Nearly three-quarters of Coloradans on municipal water have fluoridated water, said Diane Brunson, director of the Oral Health Unit at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment."Any studies that show there may be some harmful effect from fluoridation are just not bound in science," Brunson said. "We rely on studies from the Centers for Disease Control, the National Cancer Institutes and the National Institutes of Health."The debate over fluoridated water is nothing new in Erie.The town's elected leaders voted against the practice seven years ago after encountering stiff resistance from opponents, leaving Erie as one of the last municipalities in the state without supplemental fluoride in its water.Now the matter is before the voters directly, as part of a spring mail-in election in which Erie will vote on the fluoride question and on three open trustee seats.All ballots are due back at the town clerk's office by April 1.Dr. Sterling Stevens, Erie's only dentist, said he isn't actively involved in the fluoridation issue, but he makes available information at his office expounding the public health benefits of the compound."One of the things that makes me sick is seeing kids come in with cavities in their mouths when it's so easy to arrest those cavities," Stevens said. "It's the most cost-effective way to go."But Augustoni, a mother of two, says pouring fluoride into the water is the equivalent of medicating it with an ingredient that has ill effects on people, especially children.She said she moved to Erie in part because it doesn't have fluoride in its drinking water.Same with Holly Vest, who moved from Boulder six years ago. She was hopeful word about the anti-fluoridation campaign would reach residents before they mail their ballots back to the town clerk."I think a lot of people just don't know about it," Vest said.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Amount of fluoride in toothpaste question

The argument that there is the same amount of fluoride in a blob of toothpaste as a glass of water as in the last video - is it right?Below is the info on toothpase and they are talking about 1500 ppm. Anybody know?

Amount of fluoride in toothpasteIt can be difficult to work out the amount of fluoride contained in a toothpaste since toothpaste tubes often contain only the percentage of the fluoride compound in the paste. It is now accepted that the most efficient method of informing people of the amount of fluoride in a toothpaste is to give the "parts per million" fluoride (ppmF-). In the near future, following agreement between manufacturers, all toothpaste tubes will include details of ppmF- . In the meantime the following conversion table will help in working out levels of fluoride in toothpaste

Sodium Fluoride

0.32% = 1500 ppm F-0.22% = 1000 ppm F-0.11% = 500 ppm F-

Sodium Monofluorphospate

1.14% = 1500 ppm F-0.76% = 1000 ppm F-0.38% = 500 ppm F-

The EU has prohibited the marketing of cosmetic products (including toothpastes) with over the counter levels of fluoride greater than 1,500 ppmf

Bottled water set to get some teethBy Evonne BarryMarch 23, 2008 02:00amTOOTH-protecting fluoride could be added to Australian bottled water within 12 months.The national food regulator will consider overturning a ban on mineral additives after this week releasing an "assessment report" on the controversial proposal. The Australian Beverages Council has asked Food Standards Australia for permission to add fluoride to bottled water and water coolers. If allowed, manufacturers could offer consumers a choice between fluoridated and non-fluoridated water. Fluoride has been added to Melbourne's tap water for more than 30 years, which the Australian Dental Association credits with a steady decrease in tooth decay. However, the popularity of bottled water - Australians spent more than $627 million drinking it last year - has since been blamed for a reversal of this trend. Tony Gentile, executive director of the Australian Bottled Water Institute, said it was about offering alternatives. "There is a huge area of regional Australia that doesn't have access to fluoridated water, and we want to give people the option. "For every (manufacturer) who advertises the fact their water has fluoride, I'm sure there will be another advertising that their bottles don't," he said. Anti-fluoridation groups have thrown their support behind the plan, claiming it could stop campaigns to fluoridate tap water. Philip Robertson from Water Quality Australia, which protests against tap fluoridation, supports the proposal. "We have got no problem at all with fluoridated bottled water because it allows people an option," he said. Public submissions on the bottled water proposal are open until April 30.

We Are Change Colorado confronts Advisory Board on Fluoride

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Ashland: Is flouride in water too much to swallow?By David Riley/Daily News staffPosted Mar 21, 2008 @ 10:00 AMASHLAND — Is adding fluoride to drinking water a harmless and proven way to strengthen growing teeth and curb dental decay, or is it forced on the public despite shaky science and links to diseases like bone cancer?For about two dozen residents at a Board of Health forum last night, the answer depended on which of two panels seemed more credible.On one side was Natick chemist and fluoride researcher Myron Coplan, who cited studies saying fluoridated water has little or no effect on oral health. At his side, retired nurse Shirley Brown said she connected the chemical to a neighbor's death after it was added to Natick's water, and she believes it also was responsible for her son's diagnosis with Asperger's Syndrome."Fluoridation is an unreasonable risk," Brown said. "It is an invasion of your home, which you cannot keep out."On the other side was Myron Allukian, Boston's former oral health director, who said no credible study has connected fluoridation with any harm, and it's a cheap measure supported by every major public health organization in the U.S."We are not going to support or promote something that is going to hurt the population," he said.Allukian was joined by M. Joseph Geary, whose firm runs Ashland's water system, and Joseph Nelson, a local dentist. "In many communities, it's the children that suffer from not having fluoridated water," Nelson said.Board of Health Chairman Malcolm Smart said his group called the forum to inform the public and help decide whether to add fluoride to the town's water supply. The board will vote at a later date.If the board chooses fluoridation, state law allows residents to call for a ballot question on the measure if they can gather signatures from 10 percent of the town's population, Health Director Mark Oram said.Several residents spoke against fluoridation, saying there is too much debate about it among scientists. "There is no clear consensus, as evidenced by the fact that we're here tonight," Howard Axelrod said."I respectfully believe it is my right to have the choice whether or not to get fluoride treatments," resident Diane Ring said.Coplan sometimes directly challenged Allukian's credentials last night, drawing a rebuke from the audience from Selectman Arthur Shapiro."This is a debate about fluoride, not somebody's personal reputation, sir," he said.Allukian said in the '50s, the average 17-year-old had 17 spots on their teeth affected by decay. Today, 170 million Americans live in communities with fluoridated water, Allukian said, including 139 in the Bay State. The practice returns $38 in avoided dental problems for every dollar spent, he said.Allukian challenged anti-fluoride studies. He cited an Australian project that examined 5,400 fluoride studies over a 10-year period - only 77 met rigorous scientific standards, he said."They essentially showed that it is safe, it is effective, that it prevents tooth decay and it prevents pain and infection," Allukian said.Nelson said he can see a visible difference in dental health in communities that have fluoridation.Coplan said he dealt with fluoride as a dangerous byproduct from his work as a chemist. He also cited studies that found little difference in dental health in communities with and without fluoridated water.That information was concealed from the public in the past, he said. Using fluoride only makes sense when it is topically applied to teeth, he said."I'm not against fluoride," Coplan said. "I'm against drinking fluoride of any kind because the fluoride doesn't do your bloodstream any good."Brown said people can be overexposed to fluoride because it also exists in food and other sources. The chemical can be tied to health risks like rhabdomyolysis, a rare disease that affects ligaments, she said."Her bones just melted away," she said of a neighbor with the disease.Residents at the forum seemed unswayed by the pro-fluoride panel."If you ask us if we're concerned, we sure as hell are," resident Jim Hanna said.(David Riley can be reached at 508-626-3919 or driley@cnc.com.)

Comments (8)Thank you for the abuse report. We will review the report and take appropriate action.Loading comments, please wait...Gottaliv2008-03-21T16:34:20Report AbuseYES! It IS too much to swallow. Perhaps Allukian, Geary, and Nelson, can put their money where their mouth is and answer these questions - no one else will. They're not that hard to answer, are they???

The amount of fluoride which is added to the water is controlled, but what control is there on the amount every individual consumes on a daily basis, given that people's diet and liquid consumption varies?What is considered a 'safe' daily intake of fluoride taking into consideration the amount of fluoride in food, beverages, toothpaste and air?What is the unsafe daily dose of fluoride and how will anyone know when they reach that dosage?What is the fluoride that will be used, and where does it come from?

There are 5 people that I know of living in my un-fluoridated city, all with very high blood fluoride levels,[pathology proven several times] all suffering with the symptoms of fluoride poisoning. Their high levels didn't come from fluoridated water, they came from other sources. All 5 suffer with debilitating bone and teeth problems, which indicates that ingested fluoride certainly did not do them any good at all. These 5 people are the only ones ever to be tested for blood fluoride levels in this City, and the 5 Doctors who ordered the tests had never done so before. If our population of over 100,000 people were all to be tested, how many others would there be with theses high levels and the illnesses that go with them?

The only 'remedy' for fluoride toxicity is to reduce fluoride intake and then it will take years [if ever] for the fluoride to slowly leach out of their bodies. How can they reduce their intake when fluoride is found in nearly everything you eat and drink these days? When our State is fluoridated [Government Mandate] over the next 2 years, there will be no foods/beverages at all grown/manufactured in Australia that do not contain fluoride, so what are these people going to do then - starve ? or die from fluoride poisoning???Preston2008-03-21T18:45:52Report AbuseSeveral questions that I haven't seen the answer to in this debate:

1) What is the effect of filters on fluoridation? Does our Britta pitcher make this debate moot for our home?

2) What is the effect of fluoride on the environment? Does it have any impact when watering lawns or in other situations?LaneW2008-03-21T19:44:31 http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/removefluoride.htm

2. A large release in to the Mississippi 500,000 gal 3/18/08http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/03/braithwaite_acid_release_could.html

And a study on the effects it has on fishwww.nwfsc.noaa.gov/assets/2/5830_07272004_174503_damkaer.dey.1989.pdf

P.S. Please Keep asking until you get an answerer

" />Report Abuse1. Britta will do nothing to remove "Fluoride"http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/removefluoride.htm

2. A large release in to the Mississippi 500,000 gal 3/18/08http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/03/braithwaite_acid_release_could.html

And a study on the effects it has on fishwww.nwfsc.noaa.gov/assets/2/5830_07272004_174503_damkaer.dey.1989.pdf

P.S. Please Keep asking until you get an answerer

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA2008-03-21T19:50:13Report AbuseThat woman attritubes flouride to the dealth of a neighbor and her sons problems. What evidence does she have.

Also, when that crackpot wrote his paper on the Natick Study he actually used a website as a reference that also states that Aliens live amoung us.

I would rather belive my Doctor and Dentist

Think2008-03-21T20:11:13Report AbuseIf you need flouride, get it from your doctor or dentist like any other medication. We don't need the goverment feeding us drugs through the water supply. You don't need to shower in flouride or wash your dishes and clothes in flouride. Whether you consume flouride and how much you consume should be your decision, not the goverment's.Preston2008-03-21T20:23:53Report AbuseThanks LaneW!

The study on salmon near the John Day dam showed problems for the salmon when the fluoride levels were in the 0.3-0.5 mg/L range. Wikipedia says that fluoridated drinking water is in the 0.7-1.2 mg/L range. (Note that ppm and mg/L are equivalent.) So drinking water has roughly double the fluoride levels that caused 50% mortality in salmon, provided the study was sound. At the very least, you wouldn't want to use fluoridated water in a fish tank.

I'm still of a mixed mind on this.David McRae2008-03-21T22:40:11Report AbuseI am with consumer group Water Quality Australia. I have been in community and public health all of my my career. There is no such study in this country that looked at 5400 studies on fluoride safety. There havent been any studies on safety in this country. There have been a few reviews of overseas evidence, and those reviews have been of poor quality.In Australia no authority is looking at:*The levels of fluoride in citizens' bones,*what is happening to thyroid gland function in fluoridated communities,*the large numbers of people who report classical fluoride chemical sensitivity symptoms (allergy-like, but not strictly allergy),*the fact that fluoridated cities outside the big capital cities have no difference in tooth decay than the non-fluoridated cities (of course the big capital cities, with higher socioeconomic standard than rural cites, have lower tooth decay rates, but it has nothing to do with fluoride).How dare a pseudo expert in Ashland falsely beguile an audience with a claim that Australian authorities have done rigorous study of fluoride safety. They have done zero work on the problem, and our authorities simply appeal to USA experts when asked to defend dumping fluoride into water supplies. I can be contacted at vicfin_info@yahoo.com.au

Friday, March 21, 2008

£372m for a healthier lifeTHE West Midlands area of the NHS, which includes Here-fordshire, is said to have the most fat women and children in England.And men are not far behind, with 22.2% in the region carrying too much weight.The problem has been 30 years in the making and the trend is not expected to be halted overnight.advertisement According to Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, people simply eat too much and do too little exercise - but solving the problem is more complex.To try, £372 million has been set aside in a cross-government strategy to help everyone to lead a healthier life.It will include ways of creating a healthier society from schools and food, from sport and physical planning, transport and the health service.Employers, individuals and whole communities will be brought together to widely promote better health.Dr Rashmi Shukla, regional director of public health, said the highest rates of obesity for women and children in England should be a fact of great concern for everyone living and working in the area.A report from the Department of Health says the region has: The most obese women of all the English regions, with 28.7%.The highest proportion of obese children aged between two and 15 years, 19.9%.The second highest proportion of children aged between two and 10 years, 17.4%.l A 22.2% prevalence of obesity among men in the region.Out of 34 local authorities in the West Midlands, 10 are in the bottom 25% for participation in sport and active recreation.12:11pm Thursday 20th March 2008

West Midlands is fluoridated - is fluoride the reason for obesity? In the USA they have the same problem and today in the Daily Mail on Australia it reports that their are a lot of fat people.

Chief dental officer: Room for further improvement Thursday, 20 Mar 2008 14:02 England and Wales have excellent oral health but more can be done to improve it further, the chief dental officer Dr Barry Cockcroft has said. Over the last three decades oral health has improved considerably, which Dr Cockcroft attributes to the introduction of fluoride toothpaste in the late 1960s and the growing appreciation of the value of good oral health and a good dental appearance. But in some areas of the country a large proportion of children under the age of five have at least one decayed, missing or filled tooth. "We do have excellent oral health but we're not complacent and we think we can do more to improve it even further," he told inthenews.co.uk "Dental decay is completely preventable if people do the right thing, but it's about getting the knowledge out there to enable people to know what they should do: not to snack at sugary things but to eat them in sort of a little burst and to brush their teeth at least twice a day, especially last thing at night." Dr Cockcroft added that parents should brush their babies' teeth as soon as they come through and emphasised the need for the education, health and social care sectors to provide cross-society awareness of oral health. Strategic health authorities are currently considering whether to fluoridate their water supplies to reduce tooth decay, with backers saying the move could strengthen teeth and improve oral health. This move has been welcomed by many but some campaigners have raised concerns about negative side effects of fluoridation. However Dr Cockcroft said it would be "immoral" to not take steps to prevent dental disease in children, which will affect them throughout their lives. "Seventy per cent of America is fluoridated, all water in this country contains some fluoride anyway," he explained. "There's never been a single validated survey that has linked any damage to general health with a fluoridation scheme. "The only effect is a reduction in the level of dental decay and that means a reduction in pain, in damage to self esteem. I think we should not deny children the opportunity to have good oral health and to grow into adults with good oral health." The chief dental officer added that if people have questions about their oral health they can speak to their dentist or consult websites such as www.dentalhealth.org.uk.

"However Dr Cockcroft said it would be "immoral" to not take steps to prevent dental disease in children, which will affect them throughout their lives."

Thursday, March 20, 2008

These are a few more fluoridation facts that you omitted from my last week’s letter to the editor:

n What is fluoride? It is a naturally occurring element - the 13th most abundant element in the earth’s crust - essential for forming healthy teeth and bones and a natural component of teeth, and bones and is found in all foods.

n The fluoride ion is a highly charged ion that attaches to the crystalline matrix of teeth and bone. It strengthens tooth structure from a hydroxyappetite crystal to fluorappetite crystal, making it very resistant to break down by acids and thus preventing decay.

n Fluoride occurs in varying levels in ground water and surface waters from almost no fluoride to 10 parts per million (ppm).

n Bartlett, Texas, has 8 ppm and Cameron, Texas, has 0.04 ppm. Studies from these two towns show no difference in longevity or health of the two populations, and one study showed no difference in body dissections of organ systems post mortem.

n Since the introduction of adjusting fluoride levels 60 years ago into public water systems, it continues to be the single most safe and most cost effective way to prevent tooth decay.

n It is the most safe and most cost effective public health project ever done.

n For each $1 spent on fluoridation, $50 is saved on dental care, which includes our own dental care and what we pay for in taxes through our welfare dental care programs.

n Over 100 national and international organizations recognize and promote this public health benefit, including the American Dental Association, American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, American Pediatric Association and World Health Organization, to name a few. Locally, Rotary and all dentists, to name a few, have endorsed this great public service.

n Fluoridation is especially effective for our lower socio-economic population and those who tend not to care for their oral health as well.

n Today, 170 million people in the U.S. have publicly fluoridated water. That’s about two-thirds of the population.

n Studies show that averages of 50-65 percent decrease in dental decay can be expected. In Liberty, Mo., in 1955, 70 percent of school age children had decay and fluoridation began. In 1980, 17 percent of school age children had decay after 25 years of public fluoridation.

n Adults benefit as well. With age and mouth drying medications, decay on tooth root surfaces increases. Fluoridation is very effective against this adult type of decay.

n The National Research Council has stated that “like zinc, iron and other minerals, fluoride is an important trace element.”

n So, how do we get water fluoridation levels adjusted in Torrington? Before our new water system was completed we would have needed injectors at each well site. Now it is simple, with only one point of injection needed. Total installation costs for injection systems in similar sized communities are around $15,000.

n The average cost to operate the system in municipalities of our size is 50 cents per person per year.

Hopefully if people read this letter and last week’s letter, they’ll have all the facts I’ve presented. Again, congratulations to the city council on a great public service project.Dr. Tim Pieper,Torrington

By Sky News SkyNews - Wednesday, March 19 09:12 pmA whopping 80 million Easter eggs will be consumed in the UK this weekend, prompting warnings about tooth decay.The sugar in Easter eggs is used by bacteria to produce acid, which dissolves tooth enamel forming a hole.The UK's Chief Dentist, Barry Cockroft, has offered advice for protecting bright smiles while indulging in sugary treats:He said: "My top tips for healthy teeth include trying to keep sugary foods like Easter eggs to after meal times, brushing twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste and visiting the dentist periodically."While the nation certainly has a sweet tooth, oral health has dramatically improved over the past few years.In 1968, around 37% of adults had no teeth compared to about 6% in 2008.Barry Cockroft also mentioned: "Twelve year old children have the lowest rate of tooth decay in Europe but there are particular areas of the country in which oral health still needs to improve."The Department of Health has identified areas where improvements are needed and new dental practices have opened up there.Inhabitants are also being asked whether they would like their water to be fluoridated - UK cities with some of the best dental health in England all have fluoride in their tap water.These decisions will affect thousands of people but as Mr. Cockroft reminded us there are things we can do as individuals to protect the pearly whites.

Don’t use the tapSome plants like your Easter lily can be sensitive to the treated water that flows from your tap. According to OSU researchers, Easter lilies, Dracena, Peace lilies, parlor palms, prayer plants, Freesia, and spider plants don’t like the special treatment. You might see the tips turn brown from the fluoride. Green and white plants such as the variegated spider plant are quite sensitive. Use rain water or water from the dehumidifier in your house. OSU scientists also recommend flushing the soil every six months with rain water or even bottled water to get rid of the fluoride and salt build-up.

Côte St. Luc 'better not fluoridate the water,' fluoride opponent tells mayor by Martin C. Barry March 19th 2008, 14:11 Fluoridation offers more benefits than it has potential drawbacks, maintains Côte St. Luc mayor Anthony Housefather. Côte St. Luc 'better not fluoridate the water,' fluoride opponent tells mayor A Côte St. Luc environmentalist has warned Mayor Anthony Housefather that he better do his homework before taking any serious steps towards having fluoride injected into Côte St. Luc's drinking water. Last week during Côte St. Luc city council's monthly sitting, Marsha Akman, a Macdonald Avenue resident, reacted to a news story published in the Chronicle, which disclosed Housefather's support for the idea of fluoridating tap water. In arguing her case for fluoridation to council last month, Dr. Shirley Blaichman, a paediatrician at the Montreal Children's Hospital, had noted that the City of Montreal, which furnishes water to Côte St. Luc, is the last North American municipality of its size that does not add fluoride. "Water fluoridation is the most cost-effective method for dental caries prevention, particularly as it reaches the poor and disadvantaged population group with the highest risk," Blaichman had said. She wanted Côte St. Luc city council to enact a resolution calling on Montreal to add fluoride. "You certainly laid out good reasons why fluoridation should occur in the water system and I personally support it," Housefather had replied. "Have you checked into this, Anthony," Akman told the mayor last week. "Do you know how bad fluoride is? … "Have you checked with the other side? … I would really like a report on this before any resolution is drawn or before you sit down … "Before any resolution is adopted, you really better check on it," she added. "Côte St. Luc better not fluoridate the water. You're going to have big problems." Responding to Akman, Housefather said he had examined many fluoridation studies over the years and concluded, "The majority of studies favour fluoridation, and then there's a significant minority of people who say that fluoridation poses a significant risk. "But nobody knows one way or the other. All I can say is that it seems to me from the balance of studies that I have read is that fluoridation offers more benefits than it has potential drawbacks. That doesn't mean, though, that our council is not going to carefully research the issue before we adopt any resolution." Housefather said not all members of council have read the available studies yet. "So council hasn't adopted anything. We got a request and council will look at it … We've, in fact, gotten several e-mails from residents on both sides asking us to look at this and that study and we're reading." According to Avrom Shtern, a member of the Green Coalition and a Côte St. Luc resident, there is a tendency among environmentalists to view fluoride with suspicion, even if it is a naturally-occurring compound. "There have been studies that show that people who drink fluoridated water have better teeth," he acknowledged. "But on the other hand, what are the consequences?" According to Shtern, fluoride is known to block and corrode plumbing fixtures. "If that is the case, then what does it do to our bodies?"

(3/19/2008) By Denise Booker - A bill going through the legislature could require cities with more than a thousand people to put fluoride in their water. It is something that is up for discussion Wednesday night at City Hall in Hastings.City officials say it is a tough issue.City council will take a look at the bill Wednesday night to see if it is something they are willing to support.Officials say putting fluoride in the water would get pretty expensive.But others in the community say it is well worth the costs.Adding fluoride to Hastings' drinking water is something city leaders say needs a closer look."Do we support this bill? Do we add an amendment to it? I would certainly ask for some amendments as far as the time issue, give the city some time to make this addition to the water system," said city councilman Everett Gobel.Time and money are two major issues the city leaders will have to debate."It is going to cost Hastings close to a million dollars the first year this goes into operation and that is going to have an affect on people's water bill," Gobel said.But a local dentist says preventing tooth decay is her biggest concern."When fluoride is ingested in very small amounts it actually helps the teeth to be more mineralized and therefore more resistant to tooth decay," said Pediatric Dentist Dr. Jessica Meeske.Though many have different concerns about the addition of fluoride, Meeske says the benefits are overwhelming."We have over 50 years of research that supports the effectiveness of water fluoridation, it is safe, it is cheap and it works," said Meeske.Meeske said elderly and low income people will benefit the most by the addition of fluoride.Officials say Omaha and Lincoln have had fluoride in their drinking water for decades.If this bill is passed in the legislature it is not a done deal for cities like Hastings. The cities included in the bill could put the issue on the ballot.In the end, the final decision would then be up to voters.But there is one stipulation. The cities would have to hold those referendum elections by the end of this year.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Acid release in Braithwaite could have been 'catastrophic'by Mark Schleifstein and Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Times-Picayune Tuesday March 18, 2008, 12:48 PMA highly corrosive acid that leaked from a storage facility at a Braithwaite chemical plant on Monday could have eaten through adjacent storage tanks to cause a "catastrophic" mix of toxic chemicals, a state Department of Environmental Quality official said Tuesday. The disaster was averted by pumping the spilled material into the Mississippi River, where it quickly diluted to a safe level, said DEQ's Jeff Dauzat.At 9:24 a.m. Monday, workers at Stolthaven New Orleans LLC's transfer facility discovered that as much as 50 gallons a minute of fluorosilicic acid was leaking through a 16-inch-long crack in a welded seam in the storage tank.While the material was being held in a concrete containment area, the acid was eating through the concrete, Dauzat said, and threatened the other tanks within that area."If we allowed that material to stay in the containment, it could have eaten through the other tanks, releasing other incompatible chemicals," he said. He didn't have a list of the other chemicals.The 23 percent solution of fluorosilicic acid being held at the Stolthaven transfer facility is mixed into drinking water at a parts per billion level, Dauzat said.Material safety data sheets providing hazard information about the acid indicate the dangerously corrosive material can irritate or burn the skin, eyes, lungs and other mucous membranes.Plant officials and emergency personnel responding to the leak wore respirators and protective clothing.While residential areas are just north of the plant and to the west, across the Mississippi, Dauzat said air sampling outside the plant "showed no cause for alarm. There were no hits for toxicity." Workers pumped 468,740 gallons of fluorosilicic acid into the Mississippi River on Monday after the leak was discovered, leaving 129,882 gallons in the tank below the level of the cracked seam, he said.Plaquemines Parish water officials were notified of the release, and testing at their water intake facilities showed only background levels of fluoride, Dauzat said.Chemical monitoring of the river by a clean-up contractor hired by Stolthaven found the acid had diluted to parts per million levels within a few miles, he said."The river is able to handle a lot of the abuse we give it because of its flow and the amount of water it has," said Dauzat. "It's unfortunate it had to happen, but it saved us a potentially catastrophic loss." The Mississippi is at springtime high levels, and moving at about 4 knots per hour, which speeded the mixing process, he said.After the release, the Coast Guard also established a security zone from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Monday, barring any vessels from navigating on waters in the contaminated areaThe Coast Guard also is reviewing the circumstances of the chemical spill and said that it "could lead to enforcement actions.""We can't discuss the details of any legal action until the case is closed," said Petty Officer Tom Atkeson, a spokesman for the Coast Guard.Dauzat said state officials will look into whether the acid was being held in an incompatible tank, and whether it should have been held within the same containment area as tanks holding the other, incompatible chemicals.That investigation "will take several days to a couple of weeks, depending on the cooperation of the industry," he said.Dauzat said a DEQ team had just inspected the facility for compliance with water disposal permits a few weeks ago and found no problems.

Letter to the Editor By MWC NEWS Dear Dr. PolyaYour essay on Orwellian war is a masterpiece.It is one of those essays that makes one say"I wish I had said that".In years to come your voice will be noted as one of sanity in a house of lunatics.Of course we both know there is one school of thought that says this apparently insane and self-defeating behaviour by "America" is intentionally designed to pass the mantle of virtue to China- just as the mantle passed from Britain to America when the British Empire was destroyed.No doubt there are corporate, agri-business, banking, media, military and pharmaceutical interests that will continue to prosper even as "America" flounders. Indeed the case has already been made out for saying that "Nations" are illusions and that the real centre of interests lie in the corporate boardrooms, who flit from one side of the planet to the other according to where the most profit lies.Your reflections on mortality are in that regard especially interesting and the statistics you quote are revealing and disturbing.I think it goes deeper than oil, than pure profit, than Islam, than the Vatican, than Israel, and even than China. I suspect it goes to the issue of whether men and women) will be free to live, to think and to plan their lives without control from a centralised, all-knowing, state controlled apparatus- based in some underground bunker, and administered on behalf of souls you and I would label as demented. The position at the moment looks bleak for the free thinkers. It may only be a short time before we open our e mails to find the system is shut down; we open our doors to find a patrol van waiting with a compulsory vaccination and implant tag; and we open our minds to find an empty void caused by breathing air poisoned by chem-trails, drinking water poisoned by years of fluoride and eating food laced with chemicals- to say nothing of mind altering drugs dispensed by medical practitioners to cure our depression or stress.In the meantime, keep up your valiant work.At least it makes you- and me- feel better, and perhaps we can not hope for much more at the moment.

Water fluoridation leaflets arrive in EurobodallaPosted 5 hours 27 minutes agoA leaflet inviting members of the public to comment on whether they want fluoride added to Eurobodalla's water supply, has started arriving in letterboxes throughout the shire.The leaflet represents the next phase in council's community consultation on the fluoridation issue and is the result of a focus group meeting held in late February.The leaflet includes a brief survey so people can provide feedback to council.Mayor Neil Mumme says there has been a good response so far, with up to 2,000 surveys already received and more coming in each day.The deadline for responses is April 4.After that, independent consultants will prepare a report for councillors to consider in May.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

ADDING FLUORIDE TO WATER WILL CUT DENTAL PROBLEMSBe the first reader to comment on this story11:40 - 17 March 2008Health Secretary Alan Johnson has called for fluoride to be added to England's water supplies in the hope of reducing tooth decay among some of society's poorest and most vulnerable. Here, Dr Gillian Jones, the associate director of undergraduate studies at the Peninsula Dental School in Exeter and a consultant in dental public health for Peninsula Primary Care Trusts, backs the call

The fluoridation of water as a means to improve dental health in the community is not a new idea, but it stills raises an element of debate.The addition of fluoride to the water supply at appropriate levels is good for dental health - but it has to be implemented in a health-effective, resource effective and cost-effective manner.

Water fluoridation was introduced in the US in 1945, and in the UK and many other countries around the world in the mid-1950s. The impact of adding fluoride to water on tooth decay has been observed and analysed ever since, so as a community health measure it has decades of research and a wealth of experience in management and process behind it.

All water supplies contain fluoride naturally, and early studies of tooth decay in the US established that a natural concentration of one part fluoride per one million parts of water is associated with significantly lower levels of tooth decay.

In most places in the UK the natural fluoride level is too low to be of benefit to dental health, which is why fluoride levels are adjusted in the water supply in situations where this is environmentally and economically possible.

The benefits of added fluoride are well-documented. Severe tooth decay remains a problem among young children in disadvantaged communities. Tooth extraction in young children is usually performed under general anaesthetic - at a possible cost to the health of the child and a definite economic cost to the NHS. Clearly, a measure that reduces the amount of tooth decay not just in children, but also in the general population, would bring significant benefits to health and well-being and allow for better use of scarce NHS resources.

A number of studies have compared the cost of dental treatment needed by children in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities. The research shows that the cost of dental treatment for a five-year old child in a non-fluoridated community is 61 per cent more than for a child of the same age in a fluoridated community. The upshot is that children in fluoridated communities experience fewer instances of toothache, have fewer dental abscesses and require fewer dental extractions and general anaesthetics.

While tooth decay levels have fallen across many communities since fluoridation, inequalities in dental health remain widespread and there is still a strong case for targeted fluoridation in parts of the UK, particularly those with higher deprivation and dental decay.

The evidence of the dental benefits and safety of water fluoridation has been reviewed by the University of York NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Its review included 26 studies representing the best available evidence of the effectiveness of water fluoridation.

The review found that water fluoridation reduces the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth by an average of just over two teeth per child. It also increases the percentage of children totally free from tooth decay by about 15 per cent, and that the reduction in the number of decayed, missing or filled teeth following fluoridation is greatest in communities where levels of tooth decay had been high at the beginning of the process.

Adults with their own teeth have much to gain from fluoride in toothpaste and from water fluoridation. In general, more adults are keeping more of their own teeth into old age, and studies have found that adults living in fluoridated communities keep more of their own teeth for longer, and have much less trouble with them than those in non-fluoridated communities.

Primary care trusts are working hard to improve the dental health of the population. Ways to reduce tooth decay are under constant review. While the adjustment of the naturally occurring levels of fluoride in water supplies would be of benefit to all, the technical feasibility of this is incredibly difficult in rural areas where there are a large number of water treatment works, boreholes and other water sources.

As a consequence, I believe the message to be: the fluoridation of water is one of the most effective ways to reduce tooth decay and improve dental health, but it is no substitute for taking good care of and responsibility for your own teeth.

As well as benefiting from water fluoridation where it is available, people should also clean their teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste and fluoride gel, and if they can make use of professionally applied fluoride varnish. They should also make sure that they use effective brushing techniques (a member of the dental team or the dentist will be able to show them how), avoid the frequent intake of sugar, and visit the dentist.

Geelong fluoride protest Danny Lannen18Mar08 GEELONG city councillor Barb Abley will join anti-fluoride campaigners presenting 1000 letters of protest to Barwon Water chiefs early today. Cr Abley and Surf Coast Shire councillor Lindsay Schroeter will be among a handful of people seeking a meeting with authority managing director Michael Malouf. Cr Abley said she was attending as a concerned citizen. Cr Schroeter said he was attending as a concerned councillor from the Winchelsea area.Barwon Association for Freedom from Fluoridation spokesman David McRae said the protest letters would assert that people object to forced medication through addition of fluoride to water. ``We really believe Barwon Water should be recognising that people don't want it and if they're in any doubt they should be running a poll,'' Mr McRae said.

Some 600 dentists, physicians and scientists have signed a study report submitted to Congress calling for a nationwide end to toxic water fluoridation. The report points out that 32 percent of U.S. children have dental fluorosis, and a Harvard study found a five- to seven-fold increase of bone cancer among young men who were exposed to fluoride during ages 6 to 8.

The report mentions that one of the reasons for water fluoridation is to set people up for medical treatment. Another reason is to retard people mentally for political reasons. One cosigner, Dr. Arvid Carlsson, the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize winner for Medicine, said: ”Water fluoridation is against all principles of modern pharmacology. It’s really obsolete.”

Against Water Fluoridation

Monday, March 17, 2008

GateHouse News ServicePosted Mar 16, 2008 @ 11:22 PMStudy: Lubbock, Texas, has worst teethThe best teeth in the United States are found in Madison, Wis., Nashville, Tenn., and Raleigh, N.C., while the worst are in Lubbock, Texas. Three other cities in the Lone Star state -- El Paso, San Antonio and Dallas -- are also in the bottom 15 cities, says an article in next month's Men's Health magazine.The authors looked at U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data on the number of annual dentists visits, canceled appointments, regular flossers, and households using fluoride in 100 large cities. – HealthDay

Published Monday, March 17, 2008To the editor:The City Council defeated an ordinance that would have banned fluoridation of our water.I would encourage residents who get their water from Golden Heart, College Utilities or Water Wagon to educate themselves on the dangers of fluoridated water. An excellent article with many scientific references can be found at www.slweb.org/limeback.html.

This article was written by the President of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, a dentist who had supported water fluoridation for many years but now is a knowledgeable, vocal opponent to water fluoridation.

In researching this issue I have found that there is a huge difference between naturally occurring fluorides in drinking water (calcium fluoride leached from soil at high levels that cause teeth effects) verses artificially synthesized fluorides such as sodium fluorsilicate (the compound that Golden Heart/College Utilities uses to fluoridate our water).

The safety of naturally occurring calcium fluoride can be compared to artificially synthesized sodium fluorsilicate by checking their “LD50” values.

LD refers to Lethal Dose and LD50 refers to the amount of a substance (in milligrams per kilogram of body weight) that results in the death of 50 percent of the lab animals tested.(LD50’s are listed on Material Safety Data Sheets for most compounds.) The larger the LD50, the safer the substance, the smaller the LD50, the more toxic the substance.

A comparison of the sources of fluoride is enlightening:

1. Naturally occurring calcium fluoride has an LD50 of 4,250.

2. Sodium fluorosilicate (the additive that GHU adds to our water) has an LD50 of 125.

3. Arsenic has an LD50 of 763.

In other words: sodium fluorosilicate is 34 times more toxic than naturally occurring calcium fluoride and six times more toxic than arsenic!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

What Advanced Chronic Fluoride Poisoning Looks Like ?

Hearing on fluoridationMarch 16, 2008 Ashland An informational meeting regarding the possible fluoridation of Ashland's water supply will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Ashland Middle School library. According to Mark Oram, the town's health agent, speakers will address the advantages of fluoridating the town's water, such as preventing tooth decay, as well as possible adverse effects, including what some believe is an increased risk of cancer. For more information, call the Board of Health at 508-881-0100, ext. 681. - Rachel Lebeaux

..................Meanwhile, Arpad Vass and Marc Wise, senior researchers from Tennessee's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, were readying the first of the instruments they'd brought, capable of chemically detecting evidence of decades-old human bodies. It was a hand-held device shaped like a gun.

"It's a crude sniffer," said Vass. "It gives us a quick indication of areas we want to come back to."

The machine detects fluorinated hydrocarbon compounds, one of the approximately 400 types of volatile organic compounds emitted by human bodies during decomposition. Focusing on these compounds is important because Vass believes they're formed as the fluoride added to urban drinking water is released after death.................

Saturday, March 15, 2008

1945 Human Experiment Predicts Current Fluoride Ill Effects In 1945 dentists set out to prove that adding fluoride chemicals into public water supplies safely prevented children’s tooth decay. The studies failed; but early fluoridationists ignored this inconvenient truth and forged ahead. Now with 2/3 of public water supplies fluoridated, Americans are fluoride overdosed and suffer from fluoride’s toxic effects as cavity rates climb.

In 1955, ten years into the experiment, researchers reported more bone defects, anemia and earlier female menstruation in children purposely dosed with sodium fluoride-laced drinking water (1956 Journal of the American Dental Association). This is the first, and only, fluoridation human health experiment which was carried out on the entire population in the city of Newburgh NY.How did this happen?In the early 1900’s, brown and yellow discolored, but decay resistant, teeth were prevalent in healthier, wealthier U.S. populations drinking and irrigating their crops with naturally calcium-fluoridated water. Researchers discovered fluoride was the tooth discoloring culprit and mistakenly thought fluoride was also the cavity-fighting hero – unaware that calcium was required to grow sound dentition. And also unaware of Dentist Weston Price’s extensive research published in 1939 showing that without fluoride, healthier populations had healthier teeth because of good diets.

Public health officials, so sure sodium fluoride safely benefited children’s teeth, had no misgivings about carrying out this very unusual experiment without first doing animal studies, without informed consent and without thought or interest about how sodium fluoride could afflict adults.

Mistakenly assuming all fluorides are the same, in 1945, sodium fluoride, waste products from industries such as Alcoa Aluminum Company (not natural calcium-fluoride), was added to Newburgh NY’s water supply at about one milligram fluoride per liter of water. Kingston NY, the control city for comparison purposes, was left fluoride-free.

Kingston and Newburgh are thirty-five miles apart on the Hudson River in New York State and in 1940 had populations of 31,956 and 28,817, respectively. In Newburgh, 500 children were examined after ten years and 405 in Kingston. Adults were never tested.

Although planned to last ten years, due to political pressure, the Newburgh/Kingston study was declared a success after five years which caused many U.S. cities to start fluoridation prematurely.

Newburgh’s children were given complete physicals and x-rays, over the course of the study, from birth to age nine in the first year and up to age eighteen in the final year.

“(R)outine laboratory studies were omitted in the control group during most of the study, they were included in the final examination,” according to Schlesinger and colleagues, in “Newburgh-Kingston caries-fluorine study XIII. Pediatric findings after ten years.”

The researchers report after ten years of fluoridation in Newburgh New York:

– “The average age at the menarche was 12 years among the girls studied in Newburgh and 12 years 5 months among the girls in Kingston.”

–Hemoglobin (iron-containing part of a red blood cell): “a few more children in the range below 12.9 grams per hundred milliliters in Newburgh”

–“…a slightly higher proportion of children in Newburgh were found to have a total erythrocyte (red blood cell) count below 4,400,000 per milliliter”

–Knee X-rays of Newburgh children reveals more cortical bone defects, and irregular mineralization of the thigh bone.

Only twenty-five Newburgh children had eye and ear exams. Two had hearing loss; eight had abnormal vision. Even though researchers discovered more adult cataracts in surveys conducted before 1944 in communities with naturally high water fluoride concentrations Newburgh and Kingston adults were never checked for this defect.

Only two groups of twelve-year-old boys were tested for fluoride’s toxic kidney effects.

In a statewide survey conducted in 1954, J. A. Forst, M.D a New York public health official reported observing one-third more dental defects, including malposition of teeth, in fluoridated Newburgh, New York, than in the non-fluoridated control city of Kingston.

The 2004 book “The Fluoride Deception,” by Christopher Bryson, reveals that in addition to NYS Dep’t of Health examinations “the University of Rochester conducted its own studies, measuring how much fluoride Newburgh citizens retained in their blood and tissues. Health Department personnel cooperated, shipping blood and placenta samples to the Rochester scientists,” writes Bryson. Three times as much fluoride was found in the placentas and blood samples gathered from Newburgh as from non-fluoridated Rochester, reports Bryson.

Following back the scientific references in all current fluoridation safety literature will invariably lead back to the Newburgh/Kingston study which actually failed to prove fluoridation is safe for all who drink it although public health officials and dentists tell a different story..

On January 25, 1945, Grand Rapids Michigan was actually the first U.S. city to fluoridate; without health effects measured. Even that study is scientifically dishonest. After five years tooth decay declined equally in Grand Rapids and its control city Muskegon Michigan so Muskegon’s water was fluoridated which actually invalidated this experiment.

So it’s not surprising that a toxicological review of current fluoride science by the prestigious National Academies shows that fluoride jeopardizes health - even at lowlevels deliberately added to public water supplies.

Fluoride poses risks to the thyroid gland, diabetics, kidney patients, high water drinkers and others and can severely damage children’s teeth. Further studies linking fluoride to cancer and lowered IQ are plausible, they report.

Source for Article: OpEdNews

The reason why I posted this is when I dropped off my daughter to school I saw a sign, "Vote YES to Fluoride, Jan 29."

So, I did a little research....

1. Check to see if this will be on your state ballot.

2. Check to see if you have dangerous levels of Fluoride: http://www.fluoridealert.org/health

3. Educate yourself, Don't take my word for it.

4. Spread the word!

I bet most people, like me, had no clue how harmful this is to all of us.